I realize that I'm a few weeks behind here, but I can't miss the opportunity to tell you about the delicious pie that wasn't . . .
James, my housemates and I invited Abigail and her family over for a good old-fashioned Easter celebration. Egg-dyeing, candy-hunting and general tomfoolery.
I was excited to bake a 'real American' dessert for the occasion - pie. Since pie is an unknown entity in Nigeria, James had to bring me pie plates from home (along with Cinnamon Life cereal, Cheez-its, peanut M&Ms, lavender and a vegetable peeler). I proudly showed them to Abigail and assured her that my pie would knock her socks off. She would be converted to the Way of Dessert. But then, instead of baking a know-it's-going-to-be-good apple pie like a sensible person might, I decided to get tropical: I would bake a mango pie. A beautiful, tasty culturally-symbiotic pie!
Unfortunately, my pie was kind of yucky. It looked like a pumpkin pie, but tasted like a weird eggy mango custard. Good thing we had Starbursts to eat after the egg hunt! While the other Easter festivities were a roaring success, mango pie was not . . . so, lesson learned? Eat pies. Eat mangos. Separately.
(James claims to have liked the pie.
But he's very committed to Team Pie in the eternal pie vs. cake debate.)
My grandmother Sperry would have been proud of your willingness to forge ahead with your mango pie even though it was an untested idea. She, of course, would have denied there was anything wrong with the pie and instead blamed the eaters for not liking it! Are you sure you're not related to the Sperrys other than by marriage?
ReplyDeleteJoyce
So sad to hear that your pie didn't turn out. I've had to throw out my fair share of baked goods when the process has somehow gone awry. Need I remind you of the peppermint crackle cookie incident of '09? Tasted like pine sol covered in powdered sugar.
ReplyDeleteWas there a reason you went with a custard pie? I wonder if a mangoes could be substituted in a peach pie recipe, just chopped coarsely with a double crust. Do you think the fruit would be hearty enough for that?
Oh, I also forgot to mention that I am jealous you got to eat Starburst. Where did those come from? Did James bring them to you?
ReplyDeleteWhat?! The pie was DELICIOUS! I would have eaten the rest of the pie if I didn't have to leave for Lagos the next day. Let's be honest, Regan. The reason why you didn't like the pie was because it looked like pumpkin pie and it didn't taste like pumpkin pie.
ReplyDeleteMom...at least there weren't grapefruit pieces a la Great Grandma Sperry!
I'm thinking we should get "Team Pie" and "Team Cake" shirts printed up. Go Team Cake!!
ReplyDeleteI have to make two pies for a funeral lunch on Saturday, but I don't think either of them will be mango.
ReplyDeleteJoyce